Oat milk has been my go-to milk replacement for quite some time. I enjoy oat milk for its reliability, positive contributions to the environment, and satisfying taste. Many know the beverage to be dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and vegan, and it offers many health benefits. These benefits include being packed with soluble fiber (beta glucans), plant-based protein, calcium, and much-needed vitamins and minerals. It can prove to promote a healthy digestive system and help lower cholesterol.
Is oat milk unhealthy or healthy for you? As it turns out, some people claim that there are negative side effects when drinking this beverage. Some say that oat milk can cause acid reflux, diarrhea, stomach bloating, and even acne. This can be an immediate turn-off and cause customers to choose other dairy-free milks over oat. But how true are these effects? Let’s dive in and observe how and when these negative effects can occur.
Acid reflux
Can oat milk cause acid reflux? This fear may come from the thought that oat milk has a similar fat content to dairy milk. High-fat dairy like full fat milk is known to induce acid reflux and heartburn, so it is well known that switching to non-dairy options is a good idea. The fear around oat milk acid reflux may be due in part to its high fiber content, but oats are anti-inflammatory and are good at easing digestion, so this is simply a myth.
However, those who do report acid reflux may have bought the oat milk from an unreliable source. Consuming a large amount of oat milk in one sitting may lead to irritable bowel movements, so if you are conservative about drinking it, the benefit will outweigh the con greatly.
Diarrhea and Stomach Pain
In terms of oat milk causing diarrhea and stomach bloating/pain, under normal circumstances, this event will never happen to anyone. However, it is important that you choose the brand of oat milk that is right for you. Some oat milk brands, particularly low-quality ones, may claim that their oat milk is gluten-free, when in fact, they produce the milk in an area where other gluten items like wheat are also being manufactured.
There have been cases where people with extreme gluten sensitivity have suffered from vomiting, dehydration, and diarrhea simply because the oat milk they had purchased had a very slight amount of gluten. Always be aware of what brands you buy and read all labels if you have any food allergies. As mentioned before, if you do not have any allergies that relate to oat and nut products, you will be completely fine.
Acne
After puberty, acne may be a problem for most people that can occasionally be a serious medical concern. Can oat milk cause acne? Well, for oat milk, and almost any other beverage out there, an increase in insulin sensitivity may cause acne. Oat milk products with added sugar can cause your body to produce an insulin response and increase the frequency of acne breakouts.
I would never recommend oat milk with added sugar to anyone. In fact, most brands of oat milk don’t have any added sugar. The brands that do will usually say “sweetened” on the label. Oat milk without added sugars contains vitamin D and vitamin E, which help your skin develop and stay healthy. It can even be healthier for your skin than traditional cow’s milk.
Conclusion
Is oat milk unhealthy? Definitely not! Oat milk is made from an oatmeal base, and oats contain lots of fiber, proteins, and minerals. To summarize, make sure you buy the right oat brands, and drink in moderation. In this way, you can tremendously reduce the chances of any presumed negatives that your body may suffer. There are many benefits to drinking oat milk that skipping out on it would be a disservice to your body. If you choose to buy oat milk from the store, consider trusted brands like Oatly, Califia Farms, and Planet Oat. If you decide to make oat milk on your own by mixing oats and filtered water, make sure your oat supplier comes from a reputable source. Experimentation is key and you simply need to find the options that suit you best.
